Hamilton doesn't know where "magic" lap came from
Lewis Hamilton says the lap that earned him a surprise pole position for Formula 1's Singapore Grand Prix was "magic" and admitted "I don't really know where it came from".

Mercedes has been vulnerable in Singapore through its all-conquering seasons in F1's V6 turbo-hybrid era, and faded in final practice after running Ferrari close on Friday.
However, Hamilton produced a superb lap in the final part of qualifying to claim his seventh pole of the season by three tenths of a second, with title rival Sebastian Vettel in third.
"That was a hard qualifying session," Hamilton said. "That lap felt like magic. I don't really know where it came from."
Hamilton admitted he was "a bit nervous" heading into qualifying after trailing Ferrari by half a second in final practice.
He reckons the mistake on his second flying lap shows how good the initial effort, a 1m36.015s, was.
"I was thinking there's no way I can find half a second," he said. "In that last session it was about pulling all those bits in practice and trying to put it into a perfect puzzle – 99.9% of the time it doesn't go right.
"But that lap, I didn't have wheelspin, I didn't have a snap anywhere, the car was just underneath me and I managed to maximise it at pretty much every corner.
"I can't remember one where I thoughts I could do more.
"The second lap I tried to go that little bit more, brake half a metre later, it was too much, the car wasn't going to have it.
"I feel I got everything possible in that first lap."
Hamilton and his teammate Valtteri Bottas started FP3 on soft tyres and tried to get through to Q2 on ultrasofts, which Hamilton believes was a disadvantage as Mercedes' rivals were able to conduct more preparation on the hypersoft tyre.
However, an engine problem for Max Verstappen prevented the Red Bull driver from improving on his second run anyway and Vettel ended up a massive 0.613s adrift.
"The guys have been flat out to try to bring little bits here and there," said Hamilton. "We knew coming to this race that the Ferrari's and the Red Bulls would be really hard to beat.
"This is an incredible moment for us to be on pole here considering the circumstances."
Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff hailed Hamilton's effort as "the most amazing lap I've ever seen" and said it was "stardust", with Bottas 0.687s slower in fourth.
"I want to say thank you to Brackley and Brixworth," Wolff told Channel 4. "They've done such an amazing job to make us competitive in Singapore. Who would have thought that?
"It's the first time we've really conquered it [the Singapore circuit] in the last years in that way.
"I'm over the moon. Whatever the race result we've made a step forward in understanding what the car needs and that makes me happy."

Previous article
Singapore GP: Hamilton storms to pole ahead of Verstappen
Next article
Verstappen denied pole shot by engine cutting out

About this article
Series | Formula 1 |
Event | Singapore GP |
Author | Scott Mitchell |
Hamilton doesn't know where "magic" lap came from
Trending
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
The pointed note that starts Ferrari's Leclerc vs Sainz era
Ferrari is starting its post-Sebastian Vettel age by welcoming Carlos Sainz in alongside Charles Leclerc. But while Sainz has a tough challenge to match his new teammate, Ferrari is also sending a message that previous intra-team spats must end